Audio Book Review: Bound by Prophecy

Bound by Prophecy

By:  Stormy Smith

Publish Date:  November 12, 2015, Audiobook Release December 3, 2015

Format:  Audiobook - 8 hrs 42 mins
Narrated By:  Kristin James

Genre:  New Adult Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Series:  3rd in Bound series; 1st Book ~ Bound by Duty, 2nd Book ~ Bound by Spells

First Impression:  You are bound by your decisions and choices in life, not always by what people put in motion for you. Amelia, Aidan, and Micah start to see this for themselves as they rise to be who they really are.

Synopsis:
Amelia Bradbury is finally free from Queen Julia and Cresthaven, but she isn’t safe yet. The Keeper power runs rampant inside her and it will take an ultimate act of selflessness to contain the darkness that threatens Amelia’s sanity and the future of the Immortal race.

Aidan Montgomery refuses to give up on Amelia. Once she’s rescued from the Keeper’s hold, he intends to prove his love is more than a side effect of the prophecy, even if doing so leads him away from his pack and on a journey that will irrevocably change them both.

When the past and the present collide and the shocking origin of the Immortals is revealed, Amelia and Aidan are forced back to Cresthaven to end a war that never should have started.

First Sentence:
He was here.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I requested to review a copy of this audiobook for an honest review from the author.

Amelia has locked herself away inside her mind. It's all she can do to keep the Keeper from harming anyone she loves. Aidan is determined to get her back to herself, even with the terrible news of what happened in the battle at Cresthaven. The whole group of friends have many heartaches to overcome, but they will need to and work together to stop Queen Julia and free all the mages to live as they should. Once Amelia learns about the magic she carries in her, she will have to make a choice to do what she wants or what is needed.

Kristin is always a treat for me to listen to. Her favorite voice for me, Bethany and her sweet southern accent. And oh, the strong personality for Bethany that pops with the accent. lol. And Micah's accent. I love it! This is a great cast that Kristin makes fun to listen to and easy to differentiate the characters as they speak. The different characters personalities and attitudes ever present in their voices. Male and females are all different in accent, tone, and feels as we listen. Oh! When two sing a song, we get both voices! The harmony of the two together. I love when we get these little extras that makes the story feel more alive with the characters.

I was so relieved to get back to Amelia and Aidan's world. Amelia was left in a bit of a secluded spot and I wanted to know if she gets out along with if they figure out Aidan is her special person. In the beginning, I was surprised that Amelia and Aidan seem to know they are the prophesied couple. It almost seemed as no one knew who her 'man' would be and that he'd have to be found at the end of Bound by Spells. But, we get back into the story here, where a few of the characters are left in moments of pain; physical or emotional.

In the beginning everything is tough and people are sad or scared and hurting in some way. We start to see a small flicker of light spark when trying to find a way of helping Amelia. Having Amelia moving among the people would influence moral, giving a solid, positive direction to things. But things don't happen as hoped and Amelia feels she's a curse more than a prophecy that the people need. It's sad and some huge mountains for the characters to figuratively climb to overcome.

Not only do we journey through the prophecy of what's to come of Amelia and Aidan, but we also get to the root of Amelia's Keeper power mystery. Amelia has grown! I was worried going in that the book would fall flat for getting us through Amelia's Keeper powers. Yet we get something a little different other than her finding a way to work with what she has. I enjoyed this. She's come into her own with help from someone we didn't expect. She finally faces the magic and love that she's been scared of for so long. We even end with a fight that's not as deadly as it could have been. It moves quick and keeps us listening yet with Amelia and Aidan in the place they are now, it doesn't need to be bloody. It's more than that.

I really liked this ending!

A wonderful YA read of letting yourself love and accept who you are. Even when in battles, it doesn't always have to end ugly. There are options and choices in life that you get to pick from even if it doesn't seem that way. You need to accept and live by your choices.

I love the feel of the theme in this story. How Amelia is bound by what was set in motion, through prophecy, for her. But in the ending, all learn they are not bound by others but that they are bound by their choices in life. It felt like it really hit to the heart for me.



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